OBJECTIVES: I. Compare the efficacy of multi-course high-dose chemotherapy with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation versus standard-dose chemotherapy in women with metastatic breast cancer. II. Compare the five year event-free survival, in terms of time to progression or time to death due to toxic effects, in patients treated with these regimens. III. Compare the response rate and overall survival of patients treated with these regimens. IV. Compare the toxicity of these regimens in this patient population.